Hawks raid Jacques Pauw's house

A search and seizure warrant obtained by anti-terrorism police shows authorities believe that Jacques Pauw‚ author of the bestselling book The President's Keepers‚ is in possession of secret intelligence documents.

The warrant provides a glimpse into the investigation which the Hawks' Crimes Against The State Unit is conducting into Pauw.

The document‚ signed off by Malmesbury magistrate J Jantjies earlier today‚ shows that the raid on Pauw's Western Cape home in Riebeek Kasteel‚ was conducted on the basis that police believe he has violated the apartheid era Protection of Information Act and the Intelligence Service Act.

Pauw‚ speaking from his home‚ said the officers from unit‚ which usually investigates terrorists‚ were searching his home‚ guesthouse and restaurant.

"They say that they are here to find any secret documents. If I had any secret documents‚ which I never did‚ I would definitely not keep them here‚" he said.

The warrant states that according to the contents of the book‚ Pauw received secret documents and information‚ "that belongs to the State Security Agency of the RSA knowing‚ or having reasonable grounds to believe‚ that such documents or information was being disclosed to him in contravention of the Protection of Information Act between August 2016 to date.

"Jacobus (Jacque) Pauw disclosed classified information or material entrusted to him by member(s)/former member(s) of the State Security Agency (SSA) of the RSA without the permission of the Director General in contravention of the aforesaid Act‚ and it is unlawful."

The warrant outlines how police were searching Pauw's home to seize "software/copy or manuscript used to the production the book: 'The Presidents Keepers'‚ computer(s) or laptop(s) or electronic item(s)/object(s) used/contains evidential material or any hard or soft instrument(s)/machine(s0 related to the production of the book".

It shows that police are also wanting to seize any notes or documents containing information related to the book and any material related to the alleged offences which Pauw is alleged to have committed.

Pauw’s bombshell revealed details over the tax affairs of former President Jacob Zuma including that he was paid a R1-million a month salary for at least four months after he became president in 2009 by a company owned by controversial Durban businessman‚ Roy Moodley.

In book‚ Pauw paints a damning picture of the corrupt cabal that assisted Zuma to gain power and then kept him there.

Pauw is being taken to court by the South African Revenue Service which is seeking to have the courts declare that Pauw contravened confidentiality clauses in the Tax Administration Act by publishing information over Zuma’s tax affairs and in so doing‚ broke the law.

In December‚ Durban-based SAPS Colonel Reuben Govender summoned Pauw and News24 investigative journalist Pieter Louis-Myburgh to a Durban police station to answer questions over the contents of the book and reports Myburgh wrote.

“We condemn this jackboot move in the strongest of terms and stand by our author and the right of the South African public to know how our law enforcement agencies go about their business. The President's Keepers brought to light abuse of and corruption at these agencies‚ and this raid is evidence of how the priorities are perverted.

“They are choosing to shoot the messenger rather than investigate what Jacques Pauw has revealed in his book‚” the publisher said.